Machine for securing a package tab

ABSTRACT

A machine is provided for securing a tab to a package, flattening the projecting tab and punching a hole through the tab. The package is intermittently fed along a table or support to three successive stations where the three operations are performed. The tab applied by this machine is secured to two adjacent sides of the package.

United States Patent [1 1 Alexander 5] Oct. 23, 1973 [541 MACHINE FOR SECURING A PACKAGE 3,437,544 4/1969 Wilcox 53/134 X TAB 3,543,466 12/1970 Forsberg..... 53/137 X 1,856,576 5/1932 Maxwell 156/477 R [751 Inventor: James Alexander, Believille, NJ. [73] Assignee: Scandia Packaging Machinery Primary Examiner-Travis S. McGehee Company, Clifton, NJ. Attorney-Neil F. Markva et a1. [22] Filed: Nov. 29, 1971 [21] A 1 N 200 494 [57] ABSTRACT 1 A machine is provided for securing a tab to a package, [52] 53/ 3 156/477 flattening the projecting tab and punching a hole [51] Int. Cl. B65b 61/14 th h th t b, The ackage is intermittently fed [58] Field of Search 53/134, 137; along a t bl r ort to three successive stations l56/477 R where the three operations are performed. The tab applied by this machine is secured to two adjacent sides [56] References Cited f the package.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures Alexander 53/134 Patented Oct. 23, 1973 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Oct. 23, 1973 7 SheetsSheot 2 IN VENTOR. dfi/WES HLEXfl/VDER Patented Oct. 23, 1973 7 Sheets-Shoat 5 Patented Oct. 23, 1973 3,766,707

7 Shoots-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

JAMES Mam/x4052 ATTQENZEY Patented Oct. 23, 1973 3,766,707

7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Tiny? INVENTOR. JA MES ALEXA IVDEP A TTOIQNEY Patented Oct. 23, 1973 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Oct. 23, 1973 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 MACHINE FOR SECURING A PACKAGE TAB BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed to a machine used in a packaging process for securing tabs to a wrapped package. In particular it is directed to a machine which performs in three steps the securing of the tab to two adjacent sides of the package, flattening the projecting tab and punching a hole through the tab. The package feed mechanism is designed to intermittently move the package through three successive stations where the three operations are performed.

PURPOSE OF THE INVENTION The object of this invention is to-p'rovide a compact and efficient machine on which successive tab securing operations can be performed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine that is simple in construction and on which a tab can be simultaneously formed, positioned and secured to the adjacent sides of a large or thick package and then flattened to form a convenient grip for handling and storing the package. I I

It is a further object of this invention to provide a machine for punching a hole in the tab so that the package can be conveniently displayedand stored on a rack.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a machine for forming and attaching atab to a package wherein the tab serves the duel purpose of a label to identify the package contents and a convenient handle or storage means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To accomplish the above objectives, the disclosed machine intermittently feeds a plurality of packages along a carrier so that the operations of securing a tab to the wrapped package, flattening the projecting tab and punching a-hole through the tab can be performed. Each of these operations are accomplished in separate stations spaced along the carrier means. By the useof a Geneva wheel mechanism theindividual packages are successfully moved from one operating station to the next until all thre'esteps have been. performed.

At thefirst station, individual labels are formed into a tab by theadvancement of a heated double ram which attaches the ends of the label to the end and one side of the package The package with its secured label is moved to the second station-where the label is fed through heated elements which flatten the label forming a tab. Next the package is moved to a punch mechanism which forms a hole in the finished tab. Thus, in

one machine, a-multiplicity of steps are performed to provide a wrapped'package with a handy storagetab.

The label applying ram is provided with two separate, heated heads. The heads are mounted onamovable carriage which can' be extended toward the positioned package. A rack and gear-assembly which is actuated by atiming c am, provides the properly synchronized movement of the carriage. The lower head is aligned with the underside of the package while the upper head is aligned with the end of the package. This upper head is spring biased in the axial direction with respect to the lower head and carriage to abutt the end of the package while the lower head wipes the underside surface. Thus, the ends of the label forming tab are permanently heat bonded to adjacent surfaces of the package.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other features of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being madeto the accompanying drawings forming a part of this'specifrcation wherein likereference charac ters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a machine constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the driving mechanism of this invention;

FIG. 3' is a rear elevational view of the machine shown in FIG. 1; f

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the machine shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4; I

FIG. 5A is a plan view of a tab supply as shown at the top of FIG. 5;

FIG. 5B is a side elevational view taken on line 58 of FIG. 5A;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the tab applying mechanism in extended position;

FIG. 7 is a sectional elevation view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 4;-

FIG. 8 is a sectional elevation view'showing the tab compressing mechanism shown in FIG. 7 in the closed position;

FIG. 9 is a sectional elevation view taken on line 99 of FIG. 4; i

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a tab secured to a single package;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a tab secured to two adjacent packages;'and FIG. 1 I shows a side elevation view of another embodiment of the tab applying mechanism;

FIG. 12 is a side elevation view in partial section showing another embodiment of this invention; and

FIG. 13 is another'view or theembodiment of FIG; l2showing the sealing heads in extended position.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS The machine illustrated in'the drawings, F IGS. l-l-I, is described in-my U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,379 which shows means forv feeding a wrapped package successively to the stations designated on the drawings as 1, 2 and 3. At station 1, a tab is folded intermediate its ends and the end portions are secured to the sides of the package. At station 2'the folded tab secured to the package as shown in station; 1, is compressed so that the projecting portion of the tab beyond the package is flattened. At station 3 the flattened tabis punched to provide a hole so that the package'can be hung bythe tab for display or storage. H i

In the embodiment illustrated, in the'drawings, a motor drives-a chain 15 which in turn drives a sprocket 16 onv a shaft 17. This shaft also carries a sprocket 18 which drives a chain l9which in turn drives a sprocket 20 ona shaft,2l. The shaft 21 has mounted thereon a spur gear 22 which meshes with'a spur gear 23 of a shaft 24. The shaft 24 has a sprocket 25 which drives the chain 26 which in turn drives a sprocket 27 on a shaft 28. Shaft 28 has secured thereto a crank 29 having a roller 30 at its free end. The roller 30 engages notches 31 in Geneva wheel 32 which is mounted on a shaft 33. The shaft 33 is mounted thereon a spur gear 34 which meshes with the gear 35 on a shaft 36 having also mounted thereon a sprocket wheel 37. The sprocket wheel 37 drives a feed chain 38 which is also mounted on an idler sprocket wheel 39. The chain 38 has secured thereto at spaced intervals feed bars 40 which feed packages P along a table 41. These packages are fed byv the Geneva wheel 32 intermittently to the stations 1, 2 and 3 and at these stations the operations are performed.

STATION 1 In connection with the folding and securing of the tab to the sides of the package attention is particularly directed to FIGS. and 6. In FIG. 5 the package P is shown as disposed between a guide plate 42 and a guide plate 43. The plate 43 has an opening 101, as shown in FIG. 4, to which the tab T is placed or fed. The tab T rests upon an annular plate 44. A frame comprising an upper plate 45 and a lower plate 46 is mounted on the supporting plate 47. Block 48 is slidably mounted on a rod 49 and two blocks 50 and 51 are also mounted on the plates 45 and 46. The upper block 50 is slidably mounted on pins or rods 52 and 53. The springs 54 bias the block 50 downwardly towardthe lower block 51.

The block 48 has pivoted thereto at 60 a link 61 which is secured to one end 62 ofa bell crank lever arm 63 mounted on a pivot 64. The other arm of the bell crank lever shown at 65 is adjustable relative to the arm 63 as shown at 66. The arm 65 is connected to link 68 which in turn is pivoted to an arm 69 mounted on a fixed pivot 70. The arm 69 has a roller 71 which is engaged by a cam 72 on shaft 24 and the rotation of the cam oscillates the arm 69 and link 68 and thereby oscillates the bell crank lever 63, 65. The spring 73 holds roller 71 in engagement with the cam 72.

As the bell crank lever is oscillated in the manner above described, the block 48 slides along the rod 49 and thus carries the blocks 50 and 51 from the position shown in FIG. 5 to' the position shown in FIG. 6. The blocks 50 and 51 engage the tab T and'fold the tab midway so that the two ends will be disposed above and below the edge of the package P. When the blocks 50 and 5 l are moved horizontally, the tab T is bent along the portion of the edge of the member 43 which is adjacent to the opening 101. The blocks 50 and 51 have heating coils 74. The ends of the tab T are each heat I sealed to the sides of the package P.

After the tab has been folded over and secured to the sides of the packages P, the package P with the tab T attached thereto are fed to station 2 where the operations illustrated particularly in FlGS. 7 and 8 are carried out.

The tabs can be fed manually to the ledge or plate 44 and alternatively can be fed by reciprocatable feed such as illustrated in FIGS. 5, 5A and 5B which are'located'at station 1. A magazine 100 is suitably located above station 1 so that a tab may be fed between plate 43 and a guide 102 through the opening 101. At the discharge end of the magazine 100 is a slide pusher 103 mounted between ways 104 and'105 vertically reciprocated by bell cranks 106 and 10.7 pivoted on the magazine at 108. 1

The long arms of the cranks 106, 107 pivotally hold a spindle 109 attached to the slide pusher l03-at 110. The shorter arms are attached to cranks 112 and 113 mounted on the base of the magazine 100 at 1 14 which are rocked in timed relation, by means not shown, so

that pusher 103 moves from the position shown in FIG. SE to that shown in FIG. 5 and carries with it by means of a thin protruding edge 111, one tab, seating it on the plate 44. The supply of tabs is spring-pressed against the inner surface of the ways 104, and so do not put pressure on the slide during its movement.

In the embodiment of this invention, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the station 1 tab applying mechanism has been modified to effectuate a different tab configuration. In this arrangement, cam 117 is attached to the main drive shaft 116a and is rotated therewith. Cam follower crank 119 is pivoted at 120 and includes a cam follower 118 which is in contact with the cam surface of cam 117. A gear segment 119a is formed in the opposite end of the pivoted arm 119.

The gear segment 119a meshes with a spur gear 121 which drives a pinion gear 122. The pinion gear 122 engages the rack segment 123 connected to the carriage arm 124. Heat sealing heads or blocks 50a, 51a are mounted on carriage 125 and areused for attaching the tab T to the package P. The carriage 125 is rigidly attached to the carriage arm 124 and is moved or extended in the longitudinal direction towards the package by rotation of the pinion gear 122.

A guide rod 127 and piston 128 are attached to the upper portion of the bracket 125 and are adapted for slidable movement in the guide slot 129. The carriage 125 is spring biased toward the retracted position by the spring means 126. The spring 126 places a bias on the rack and pinion gear assembly 122, 123 which in turn holds the cam follower 118 in contact with the cam surface 117.

The lower sealing block 51a is secured to the forward extension of the carriage 125. Block 51a adapted to wipe the under surface of the package P and provide pressure to the end of the tab T against the package P thereby effecting sealing. Heating element 740 is included in each sealing block 51a and 50a for providing proper temperature for sealing the tabs T to the package P.

The upper sealing block 50a is mounted to the support bracket 133 which is'attached to the end of the partially extended support rod 131. The support rod 131 is guided .in-the sleeve 130'which is securely attached to the carriage 125. A stop 137. is adjustably affixed to the support rod 131.and limits'theforward movement of the support rod 131 with respect to the carriage 125. Spring biasing means 132 is attached to the end of the support rod 131 and is provided to bias the upper sealing block 50a to an extended position aligned with the lower sealing block 51a. As can be seen in FIGS. 12 and 13, the upper sealing block 50a is free to move to a retracted position with respect to the lower sealing block Slaand the carriage 1 25. Retraction is effected when the carriage 125 is extended and the sealing block 50a contacts the end of the package P.

As the cam 117 is rotated, the cam follower crank 119 reciprocates thereby causing the carriage 125 and the carriage arm 124 to-be extended and retracted .in unison as the packages move to and from the station 1 position. As a package P is moved into position, a tab T is drawn downwardly, as explained above, into a position in front of the upper and lower sealing blocks 50a, 51a. The blocks 50a, 51a engage the tab T to fold the tab midway around the edge 136 to a position shown in FIG. 13. The ends of the tab T are held in contact with the end and side of the package P as shown in FIG. 13. Pressure is supplied to seal the tab T against the package surface by the block edges 134, 135. The lower block 51 includes a front extension member 135a which aids in the initial folding of the tab T. After sealing in completethe carriage 125 is withdrawn to the position shown in FIG. 12. The package is then moved to the next operation at station 2.

STATION 2 The operation carried out at station 2 is illustrated particularly in FIGS. 7 and 8. From the showing in FIG. 7 it will be noted that the shaft 21- has mounted thereon a cam 75. The cam 75 is engaged by a roll bar 76 mounted on a slidable bar 77 which has been secured at its upper end to a plate 78. The plate 78 extends perpendicular to the slide bar 77. A sealing block 79 which is secured to pins 80 is mounted on the outer end of the plate 78. Springs 81 surround the pins 80 and are interposed between plate 78 and the block 79 thereby biasing the block 79 in a downwardly direction.

The sealing block 79 coacts with a sealing block 8 mountedon theupper end of the frame 83. The package P with the attached tab T advances to a position between the blocks 79 and 82. These blocks compress the tab T in the manner shown in FIG. 8. Each sealing block 79, 82 is provided with thermostatically controlled heaters 84 which heat seal the juxtaposed portions of the tab in the positions shown in FIG. 8.

STATION 3 After the tab has taken the form similar to the configuration shown in FIG. 8, the chain and feed bars move the package to station 3 where the tab T is fed between a pair of plates or bars 85 and 86. The tab T is punched to provide a hole therethrough by means of which the package can be hung. A punch 87 is mounted in the upper bar 85 and is normally held in its upper position by a spring biased means 88. The upper end of the punch 87 is contacted by an adjustable stud 89 threaded through a'link 90 mounted on a fixedpivot 91. The other end of the link 90 is engaged by'plate 92 which extends at right angles to a vertical portion 93 of the bracket 94mounted and held in an upward direc-, tion by:the spring biasing means 96. The bar 95 has secured thereto a cam follower roller 97 which is engaged by cam 98 secured to the shaft 17. As the cam rotates the bar 95 is intermittently reciprocated upwardly to operate the punch 87 by means of the contact plate 92. The link 90 reciprocates with the contact plate and pushes the stud 89 which in turn engages and actuates the upper end of the punch 87. i v

From the above description it will be seen that simple and practical means has been provided for securing a tab to the adjacent sides of a package, flattening the tab and punching a hole therethrough. These operations are carried out at the three stations to which the package is fed intermittently by the rotation of the Geneva wheel. Thus, in this passage along the support table 41,

a tab is folded intermediate its length, the ends of the tab are secured to adjacent sid es'of the package, the tabis flattened and a hole is punched therethrough.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1'. An assembly for applying a tab to two intersecting sides of a package comprising:

a. carriage means including an elongated carriage arm and a carriage bracket attached to one end of the carriage arm, n

b. sealing means mounted on the carriage bracket and adapted to seal the tab to the package,

c. said sealing means including a pair of sealing blocks mounted adjacent each other, and

(1. moving means attached to the carriage arm to move the sealing blocks into contact with the intersecting sides of the package,

e. one of the blocks being attached to the moving means adapted to permit said block to move longitudinally with respect to the other block,.and

f. the other of said blocks being adapted to seal on the side of the package facing the blocks and being positionally aligned with the intersecting surface of said block facing side. v

2. An assembly for applying a tab for two intersecting sides of a package comprising:

a. carriage means including an elongated carriage arm and a carriage bracket attached to one end of the carriage arm,

b. sealing means mounted on the carriage bracket and adapted to seal the tab to the package,

0. said sealing means including a pair of sealing blocks mounted one above the other,

d. the upper block being attached to moving means adapted to permit the block to move longitudinally with respect to the lower block, and

e. the lower block being positionally aligned with under surface of the package, and

f. carriage moving means attached to the carriage arm and adapted to move the sealing means into contact with the package whereby the tab is secured to the package sides.

3. An assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein each sealing block includes a heating means for heat sealing the tab to the package.

4. An assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein the'upper block moving means includes a guide arm attached to the carriage bracket and adapted for sliding movement with respect to the carriage and lower se'aling'block', bracket means attached to the end' of the guide arm nearest the lower sealing block, and v I 7 .said upper "sealing block being attached to the bracket means whereby as the upper sealing block contacts the end of the package, the lower sealing the block is permitted to pass under and wipe the surface of the package sealing the tab to the package side. 5. An assembly as-defined in claim 4 wherein the guide arm is biased in an extended direction so.

that the upperia'nd lower sealing blocks are vertically aligned when the sealing blocks are not in contact with a package.

6. An assembly for applying a tab to two intersecting sidesof a package comprising:

a. carriage means including an elongated carriage arm and a carriage bracket attached to one end of the'carriage arm,

b. sealing means mounted on the carriage bracket and adapted to seal the tab to the package, and c. carriage moving means attached to the carriage arm and adapted to move the sealing means into contact with the package whereby the tab is secured to the package sides,

d. said carriage moving means including rack and pinion assembly means, rotating cam assembly means driven by a power means, and cam follower means mounted on a follower arm, I

e. said cam follower arm being pivotally attached at one end and including gear segment means formed in the opposite end.

f. said gear segment means being positioned for drivingly engaging the pinion of the rack and pinion asmeans. 

1. An assembly for applying a tab to two intersecting sides of a package comprising: a. carriage means including an elongated carriage arm and a carriage bracket attached to one end of the carriage arm, b. sealing means mounted on the carriage bracket and adapted to seal the tab to the package, c. said sealing means including a pair of sealing blocks mounted adjacent each other, and d. moving means attached to the carriage arm to move the sealing blocks into contact with the intersecting sides of the package, e. one of the blocks being attached to the moving means adapted to permit said block to move longitudinally with respect to the other block, and f. the other of said blocks being adapted to seal on the side of the package facing the blocks and being positionally aligned with the intersecting surface of said block facing side.
 2. An assembly for applying a tab for two intersecting sides of a package comprising: a. carriage means including an elongated carriage arm and a carriage bracket attached to one end of the carriage arm, b. sealing means mounted on the carriage bracket and adapted to seal the tab to the package, c. said sealing means including a pair of sealing blocks mounted one above the other, d. the upper block being attached to moving means adapted to permit the block to move longitudinally with respect to the lower block, and e. the lower block being positionally aligned with the under surface of the package, and f. carriage moving means attached to the carriage arm and adapted to move the sealing means into contact with the package whereby the tab is secured to the package sides.
 3. An assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein each sealing block includes a heating means for heat sealing the tab to the package.
 4. An assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein the upper block moving means includes a guide arm attached to the carriage bracket and adapted for sliding movement with respect to the carriage and lower sealing block, bracket means attached to the end of the guide arm nearest the lower sealing block, and said upper sealing block being attached to the bracket means whereby as the upper sealing block contacts the end of the package, the lower sealing block is permitted to pass under and wipe the surface of the package sealing the tab to the package side.
 5. An assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein the guide arm is biased in an extended direction so that the upper and lower sealing blocks are vertically aligned when the sealing blocks are not in contact with a package.
 6. An assembly for applying a tab to two intersecting sides of a package comprising: a. caRriage means including an elongated carriage arm and a carriage bracket attached to one end of the carriage arm, b. sealing means mounted on the carriage bracket and adapted to seal the tab to the package, and c. carriage moving means attached to the carriage arm and adapted to move the sealing means into contact with the package whereby the tab is secured to the package sides, d. said carriage moving means including rack and pinion assembly means, rotating cam assembly means driven by a power means, and cam follower means mounted on a follower arm, e. said cam follower arm being pivotally attached at one end and including gear segment means formed in the opposite end, f. said gear segment means being positioned for drivingly engaging the pinion of the rack and pinion assembly means, and g. the rotation of the cam assembly means produces a reciprocating motion in the follower arm gear segment causing the carriage arm to be extended toward the package and retracted in response to the movement of the rack and pinion assembly means. 